Starry Night
by fictionalcandie
Summary: Clear summer nights are perfect for recreational stargazing. Lily and James engage in some. Oneshot.


**Disclaimer:** This is all JKR's.

**Author's Note:** I wrote this for my birthday last month (no, it is _not _odd that I write myself giftfic). Fluff.

**o.o.o.o**

The night was warm and heavy, settling around them, smooth as silk. From where they stood at the top of the hill, they could see for miles in any direction, the sky stretching above them like a blanket of unmade promises, clear and perfect. The stars filled the inky blue of the night, twinkling and charming and laughing, strewn like sprinkles on an especially heavenly doughnut; Lily had never seen so many stars.

It was the company that made it truly special, though.

Lily snuggled into her boyfriend's side and heard James sigh happily.

"It's your turn," he said, his voice thick with contentment. He lifted one arm and pointed. "That one."

For a moment, Lily looked at the star. She closed her eyes and thought a bit. Then the words came out, "I wish that Sirius would stop showing up at your place at six in the morning."

James laughed.

"Not a real wish, Lily," he said, but she heard him hiding his smile, and giggled.

"Why not? I liked that one!"

"It's not a real wish, 'cause it's just plain impossible. He does it on purpose."

"I know."

James laughed and kissed the top of her head. "My turn," he announced. "Pick me a star."

Lily waved toward part of the sky at random. James looked in the general direction her pale hand had indicated.

"I wish for a million Galleons."

"You'll get them," Lily assured him, confident. He looked at her and raised one dark eyebrow, though she could barely see it in through the night. "I mean, you have _skills_, darling. And, well, if nothing else, you can always just let Sirius rob Gringotts."

"You get bonus points for your pride in me," James said, and ignored the latter part of her commentary. He kissed her, slow and lingering. "... And even more for that comment about _skills_."

"Well, you _do_."

"Just because you don't know anyone else who can make sex work on a racing broom, doesn't--"

Lily'd blushed red, and hurriedly turned her face to the sky. "_My_ turn, isn't it?"

Amused, James nodded, and let her pick her own star. She pointed with her left hand, and for a moment he was lost, staring at it and _imagining_... he could almost see the sparkle he wanted there...

"... wish to never grow old," she declared triumphantly. She glanced at her boyfriend. "Either of us."

"Well, thank you," began James, his forehead crinkled even though he was smiling, "but I _want_ to grow old." She looked like she was going to ask him '_what for?_' so he went on quickly, "People are always nice to you when you're old, and the ones who _aren't_ are bastards; you shove a dungbomb up their--"

"James!"

"--and don't worry about them anymore."

The grin on his face was so carefree, so innocent, so absolutely _bullshit_ that Lily really couldn't help herself, and dissolved into a fit of nearly silent laughter. Her boyfriend watched her indulgently.

"Now it's my turn, isn't it?" he said, when she seemed to have finished her seizure.

"Wish on that one!" prompted Lily, nodding and pointing at a particularly bright star.

James turned to it, and after staring at it for all of perhaps a second, snorted in disgust.

"That's the _Dog Star_, Lily," he rebuked, shuddering dramatically. He didn't really want to think about his best friend at that moment, when he could feel Lily against him, soft and warm, a gentler version of the evening air. She smelled like lavender, _dusky evenings_, and cinnamon buns, _winter mornings_, and even the _mention_ of Sirius jarred him.

Lily grinned, oblivious to his dilemma. "I know."

"I can't wish on _him_!" protested James, now looking absolutely scandalized.

"Why not?" she asked, lifting both of her eyebrows expectantly.

"Too much like asking a younger brother for relationship advice," James mumbled, with some disgust.

"That doesn't make any sense," Lily said, and rolled her eyes.

"I know. Don't ask me stupid questions, and I won't give you stupid answers."

He was grinning, so she laughed, again. "Wish on that one, then."

James looked, and did, and then Lily wished again, and they relaxed into each other and the tranquility of their beautiful, perfect surroundings. Lily ran out of dreams first, but let James keep going, his wishes getting wilder and more ridiculous the longer he was talking.

And then he went quiet, and sighed, and tensed underneath her. He'd gone serious all over. She could tell; he smelled like eternity when he went serious.

"What about all the others?" asked Lily, snuggling against his side.

James stared up at them and thought for a few minutes. At length, he declared, "I wish to love you forever."

Lily laughed softly, delightedly. "Oh, James. That's only one wish."

"No -- I wish it on _all_ of them."

"... _All_ of them?"

"Well..." James trailed off, still staring at the heavens. She thought he wasn't going to finish.

Then, softly, when she wasn't expecting it, "I wish for you to marry me."

"Oh, _James_."

He kept going. "And I wish for children; several of them, all exactly like _you_."

"Oh." This time she couldn't even say his name, but she breathed him in deep and he swam before her senses. "_Oh_."

He turned to her, meeting her gaze with an intense one of his own. His eyes were dark, bright, open. "I wish for you to spend the rest of your life letting me show you how much I love you."

She tried to speak, but her mouth wouldn't open. Tears spilled from her eyes; she'd never been so lost in another person before.

"Marry me, Lily," he whispered, stumbling over the words because he meant them so much.

"Yes," she gasped. She leaned against him heavily, warmer than the night settled around them. "Oh, God, yes."

He tilted her head back 'til she saw the moon, kissed her like she was his sun, and the stars whirled through the sky for her.


End file.
